Snacks

I like peanut butter.
A lot.
Probably too much.

I like apples.
Not as much as peanut butter....

I found a pin on pinterest and it was this apple sandwich. The apple was cored and then between the slices was peanut butter and chocolate chips.

I have never paired the two together. Ever.
Until......

Simple pleasures

With a title like that, this post SHOULD probably be about my kids or husband or family....

It's not.

Sometimes a girl just needs a chick flick.

My all time fav is you've got mail
BUT
that has been covered in a previous post...
Tonight I am watching, "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days"

I love movies.

I love my friends

I love my family.

I love the simple things.

Sent from my iPhone

Time

Penny and I spend a lot of time hanging out.

I almost feel like a slacker.

With Ellie I had 18 months alone with her.... 

half of which I spent pregnant and then the first half "adjusting".

Then there was always two.

It was fun but they spent most of their time 

playing together... 

napping together.... 

getting in trouble together.

then came Penny. 

She is three years younger than Lucy.

Now Lucy and Ellie are both in school.

Penny and I are alone.

I should probably take her to do things...

but I don't.

Her favorite store is Costco.

(which is not surprising since it's the only place we go)

But

In two short years 

I will be 

alone.

I am really trying to enjoy this.

Soon this time will be gone

  it will be a foggy memory 

and 

I will be forced to change.

Change something 

that I really just want 

to stay the same.

A little bit crazy

hahaha So I am posting this because I have a problem. 

A mirror is no longer sufficient.

I have a million 

(not really but too many to actually sit down and count) 

pictures of myself on my phone.

Before I leave to go anywhere I take a picture. 

Why?

Glad you asked...

It started because I was just checking my hair or make-up 

and now

 it has morphed into some 

OCD thought that 

this is what people see when they look at me.

Someone needs to take my phone away from me.

Or I need therapy.

but I am pretty sure I am not rich enough for the amount of therapy I would need!

More Sunshine

So the last couple days have been spent finishing the oranges! 

I had a lot of fun experimenting and I hope then when I finally get to crack these bad boys open that they are as delicious as I imagine.

I made:

sweet pickled sliced oranges

(think Asian sauces or with a balsamic glaze on pork or chicken)

Candied Orange Peel

(I couldn't just throw it away so I boiled it till the peel was soft and lost it's bitterness and hopefully I will be able to use it in some of my baking.... Orange buns, cake, ice cream, chocolate.... muffins.... mmmm)

and then just orange slices in a really light syrup for salads etc.

Now I am tired.
and want a nap.
but
my children are hungry and deprived


I might just call Grandma.....

Bottle of Sunshine

There is an awesome sale on oranges.
And since one of my resolutions is to can something once a month I thought what a great way to start of January.

I, like most of us, am dreaming of a tropical place.... But I think I'll have to settle on these pretty little jars of sunshine!

Jumping in January

This is January. 

The snow has come and melted twice. 

I can count on one hand the amount of times they've had to wear shoes and a coat to jump. 

They are crazy. 

I am sure they wouldn't of worn anything on those handful of days 

except 

I made them 

(I have to be a good mother sometimes).

PS I am going to be super busy tomorrow. Part of one of my new years resolutions.... you will want to check it out (hopefully I can post it tomorrow.... if not..... Sunday....)

Emotional rollercoaster

Penny slept past the girls leaving for school.
I did a happy dance all the way to my bed.
I crawled in and sighed.
Ahhhhhh.
I love a early morning nap.

And then she woke up.....

Sent from my iPhone

The annual anti-resolution Post

Every year I post my soap box of why I hate New Years. 

I usually have then some post that follows my Birthday with things that I want to do....

Yes I know. 

Its the same freaking thing.

So this year I joined the masses in an (what I am sure will be an epic failure.... but I am not saying that out-loud.... only in my cynical head.... but mostly because my mom will say, "Well if you think you are going to  fail... You will."..... now say that with mom voice)

phew that was a long side note.

So The things that I said I will do on my Perpetual Birthday (I do plan on being 29 for quite some time so maybe just maybe I might cross off a few of these things..... BTW that is my Optimistic brain saying that- I most times feel at odds with myself.... I am still learning to manage.... I have an excellent excuse system though....)

In my 29Th year I plan on........

becoming frugal (insert laugh here)

seriously though.

this might take me a few 29th bdays.....

(I made this proclamation verbally and really am now regretting it..... I have a problem with house goods.... I only made it two days without coveting something... which I still haven't bought.....yet..... which is an improvement.... but my resolve is deeply weakened and cracking. By day 4 I had actually already purchased something which I told Dusty I "needed".

I have issues.

Since the whole frugal thing will take me a while I thought I would do a smaller goal (I still have issues with resolutions)

The next is a 90 day challenge. Yes i joined the masses in the Body by Vi challenge.....

I am not holding my breath but I am committed to 90 days of mind bending body slimming shakes of goodness. I'll keep you posted.... 

so I also want to actually go on a vacation (which won't happen because dusty will use goal 1 as his excuse and my guilt of abandoning goal 1 will prohibit me from actually going through with goal 3)

I think it would be nice if I went to more movies....

I think there may be a patterning developing here.... I am just going to stop....

I will hopefully keep blogging. 

I have missed it.

I plan on guilting more bloggers to coming back to their own abandoned gems.... So look out you former bloggers....

Christmas morning

Just three shots of Christmas morning. Hard to believe it was just two weeks ago....